Ilay Gaist, Author at EuroMix

Vienna Rehearsals Continue: Day Three on the Eurovision 2026 Stage

May 4, 2026May 4, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); ORF hosts the third day of Eurovision 2026 rehearsals in Vienna, with each delegation receiving 40 minutes to polish their entries when technical rehearsals gets underway. The third day of Eurovision 2026's rehearsals is set to take place today on the grand stage in Vienna, Austria. After all nations from the first semi-final completed their initial runs - including the Israeli entry - it is now time for the participants of the second semi-final to begin their journey. The Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, is managing the technical schedule where each delegation is allocated a 40-minute window on stage. During this time, the singers will perform multiple rehearsals to polish their performance, staging, lighting, and camera angles ahead of the semi-finals and the Grand Final. Among the nations appearing today is Romania with the song "Choke Me", which is currently positioned 8th in the betting odds. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Polishing Performances for the Semi-Finals During these rehearsals, the artists...

Estonia’s First Rehearsal: Vanilla Ninja Take the Eurovision 2026 Stage

May 3, 2026May 6, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Estonia’s Eurovision 2026 representatives, Vanilla Ninja, held their first rehearsal in Vienna with the song "Too Epic To Be True". Stay tuned for all updates from Austria. Vienna is taking a breath. Vanilla Ninja, the legendary group, has returned after 21 years to conquer Eurovision 2026. Performing ninth in the first semi-final, they took to the stage in Vienna for a first rehearsal that proved age is just a number when rock runs through your veins. The Estonian delegation arrived more prepared than ever to turn the arena into a fiery zone, radiating the confidence of true vibe queens. הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם ‏‎פוסט משותף על ידי ‏‎Eurovision Song Contest‎‏ (@‏‎eurovision‎‏)‎‏ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); ‎‏ Estonia's First Rehearsal: More Details Standing at the center of the stage in Vienna, the members of the group presented a particularly revamped and punchy version of their song "Too Epic To Be True", which received a gritty rock arrangement specifically for the international competition. The...

Croatia’s First Rehearsal: LELEK Take the Eurovision 2026 Stage

May 2, 2026May 3, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Croatia’s Eurovision 2026 representatives, LELEK, held their first rehearsal in Vienna with the song "Andromeda". Stay tuned for all updates from Austria. LELEK, Croatia’s representatives took to the stage for their first rehearsal, leaving onlookers stunned. The song "Andromeda" - which will be performed as song number 3 in the high-stakes first semi-final of Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria - delivered an unprecedented display of visual and musical power. הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם ‏‎פוסט משותף על ידי ‏‎Eurovision Song Contest‎‏ (@‏‎eurovision‎‏)‎‏ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); ‎‏ Croatia's First Rehearsal: More Details Shortly after the performance of "Andromeda" begins, viewers will witness a spectacular sight that makes full use of the catwalk leading from the Green Room directly to the main stage in Vienna. This is the first time Eurovision fans will see this stage element utilized so dominantly and effectively, transforming the arrival of Lelek to the main stage into a majestic display of grandeur. Their stage presence on the catwalk gives...

Eurovision 2027 Budget Crisis: How Spain’s Absence Affects All Nations

April 30, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Christer Björkman reveals RTVE’s withdrawal over the Israeli entry creates a budget deficit, potentially raising fees for all Eurovision 2027 participants. The Spanish boycott against Israel is beginning to take a heavy toll - and this time, the other participating nations will be the ones to pay. The veteran Swedish producer, Christer Björkman, who is considered one of the most senior and influential figures behind the scenes of the contest and produced the recent Eurovision 2025 in Basel, revealed in an interview with the Swedish national broadcaster SVT that Spain's withdrawal has severely damaged the financial balance of the EBU. Consequently, Björkman predicts a significant increase in the participation fees that will be collected from the countries for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027. Spain is a member of the "Big 5" (the five founding countries and main financial backers of the contest, which qualify automatically for the final, and include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy...

Belgium’s Essyla Breaks Silence on Israel Controversy: “Music is Universal”

April 28, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Essyla defends the Israeli entry Noam Bettan and Eurovision 2026 participation, criticizing VRT's stance and comparing the contest to international football tournaments. Reports emerged yesterday (Monday) regarding political tension in Belgium after VRT announced it would broadcast programs critical of Israel prior to the Eurovision broadcasts. The national broadcaster also faced backlash over antisemitic remarks made by a local member of parliament. Now, the internal divide within the country has reached Essyla herself. The singer Essyla, who will represent Belgium in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2026 with the song "Dancing on the Ice", was interviewed by the Flemish national broadcaster and addressed the criticism surrounding Belgian participation in a contest that includes Israel. Essyla will share the first semi-final stage with the Israeli entry, Noam Bettan. She is set to perform as song number 11 - immediately following Bettan (song number 10) and the live performance of the German representative, Sarah Engels, who performs between them as...

Belgium: VRT to Air Specials on “Israeli Division” Before Eurovision

April 27, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); VRT confirms special broadcasts titled "Why Israel's participation caused a division in Europe" following political controversy involving Gwendolyn Rutten and Essyla. The public broadcasting structure in Belgium, which relies on a fixed annual rotation between the Belgian-Walloon national broadcaster RTBF and the Belgian-Flemish national broadcaster VRT, has generated professional and political controversy surrounding this year's coverage. This year, the responsibility for selecting the entry fell to RTBF, which selected the singer Essyla to represent the nation in the first semi-final. In contrast, the Flemish national broadcaster VRT - which is not responsible for the delegation this year but will broadcast the Contest - has chosen an unusually critical editorial line. The network announced that before each broadcast, it will air a special analysis program titled: "Why Israel's participation caused a division in Europe". (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Broadcast Provocations When the subject of the Flemish national broadcaster's coverage first arose this year, they announced that...

Satoshi Reveals High-Budget Staging Plans for Moldova at Eurovision 2026

April 27, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); TRM invests €250,000 in Satoshi’s "Viva Moldova" staging as the national broadcaster prepares to open the first semi-final in Vienna on May 12th. Moldova, which has been granted the honor of opening the first semi-final of Eurovision 2026 in Vienna on May 12th, is planning an ambitious production. Following a decisive victory in the national selection, the singer Satoshi and his team have revealed intense preparations to upgrade the stage performance of the entry "Viva Moldova". (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Enhanced Visuals and Special Effects The producer Roman Burlaca, who is leading the project, promises that the version seen on the main stage will be significantly more impressive than the national final performance: “We have completely changed the costumes. The visuals on the LED screens have also undergone improvements to enhance the energy. We have added special effects and a specific moment of 'show' that we call a 'repeatable element' - you will see it...

Estonia: Vanilla Ninja to Debut Revamped “Too Epic to Be True” on April 17th

April 16, 2026April 24, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vanilla Ninja will release the final rocky version of their Eurovision 2026 entry on April 17th, featuring a new music video. The Estonian entry for Eurovision 2026, Vanilla Ninja, has announced that the final and improved version of their song, "Too Epic to Be True", will be revealed tomorrow, April 17th. The announcement noted that the song’s style will be more dynamic and that the group will produce a new music video for the entry. The band also mentioned that the performance in Vienna will be distinctly different from their performance in "Eesti Laul". The revamped version and music video will be published across all platforms at 23:00 CET. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Revamping the Estonian Entry for Eurovision The group revealed that "Too Epic to Be True" is expected to undergo changes, and the version set for release at midnight will be the one performed on the Eurovision stage in Austria. The band announced that the song’s style...

Lithuania: Lion Ceccah Reveals Revamped Song and Complex Staging

April 16, 2026April 30, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); LRT reveals the final version of “Sólo Quiero Más” by Lion Ceccah, featuring a dramatic violin arrangement for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. The final version of the Lithuanian entry for Eurovision 2026, "Sólo Quiero Más" (in English: "I Just Want More"), was released over the past 24 hours. Performed by Lion Ceccah, the track will represent Lithuania, one of the 35 nations competing this year, as song number 12 in the first semi-final, on May 12th, in Vienna, Austria. Currently, Lithuania is ranked 19th in the betting odds. Listen to the Eurovision Version of the Lithuanian Entry: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Violin Trend Reaches Lithuania The violin is undoubtedly the instrument taking over Eurovision 2026, and the trend has not skipped Lithuania. The new version is accompanied by numerous string instruments and a piano, giving it a much more dramatic character than the original. These changes reinforce the feeling that "Sólo Quiero Más" is an anthem of passion...

One Month to Eurovision 2026: ORF Reveals Grand Final Details

April 16, 2026 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); ORF confirms interval acts for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, including JJ and Lordi, while Finland remains the favorite to win in May. Exactly 11 months and one day have passed since the singer JJ took the Eurovision stage during the Grand Final, performing "Wasted Love" and securing Austria's third victory, 11 years after its previous win. In exactly one month, on Saturday, May 16th, 25 hopeful contestants from 25 nations will attempt to replicate that success and bring Eurovision 2027 to their home countries. Ahead of the event, the following is a compilation of the most important information regarding the Grand Final and the wider competition, including the running orders, betting favorites, and interval performances. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2026: Full Schedule The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place in May, as tradition dictates. The exact dates are as follows: First Semi-Final: Tuesday, May 12th, 2026. Second Semi-Final: Thursday, May 14th, 2026. Grand Final: Saturday, May 16th, 2026. Beyond...